DID YOU READ

Marc Webb talks the Lizard, Uncle Ben and more in new “Amazing Spider-Man” interview

“The Amazing Spider-Man” trailer dropped yesterday, and we were duly awed by it. Now director Marc Webb has come out and elaborated on some of the new elements of Peter Parker’s untold story that we’ve seen in the trailer.

Ever since the relaunch of Sony’s “Spider-Man” franchise was announced, Webb was clear that he wanted to take a different approach to the franchise than his predecessor, Sam Raimi. In the group interview he participated in (which you can read over on ComingSoon.net), Webb explained that he made a point of making his main character different from his other onscreen incarnation.

“I wanted to do things differently. If we’ve seen the origin of Spider-Man, maybe we haven’t seen the origin of Peter Parker,” he said. “There are certain iconic elements of Spider-Man that I felt obligated to honor. There are some exploratory phases. But, again, I wanted to build something with a different tone and a different attitude and to do things in a little more of a practical way, especially at the beginning of the movie.”

An interesting little spoilery tangent to this comes from Devin Faraci over at Badass Digest. According to him, Peter Parker’s Spider-Man origin has been changed entirely. Skip this if you want to remain spoiler free.

Faraci claims that an inside source has told him that a radioactive spider is no longer what causes Parker to turn into Spider-Man. Instead, it’s something that his father planted in his DNA as a child, and is activated later in his life. It’s something that seems to be confirmed by yesterday’s trailer, but we won’t know for sure until the movie comes out in July.

Okay, safe to read again. Webb also shed some light on whether it will be the mystery surrounding Parker’s parents or the death of his Uncle Ben that triggers his transformation into Spider-Man. Though he didn’t give a straight answer, Webb seemed to hint that it will be Ben’s death that causes the pivotal change.

“The first domino in the story is the parents. He goes out looking for his father and finds himself. That’s my tagline. But Uncle Ben, of course, and his death… well, you have to see the movie!” Webb teased. “But, there’s three elements that Marvel was very protective of and I think are very important parts of the Spider-Man origin story. Uncle Ben’s death transforms him and has a huge impact on him. That’s an incredibly important part of the mythology. I would never subvert that. That’s all I’ll say about that.”

Another big change that we see in this trailer is the snout-less Lizard. It turns out that the Lizard’s actions were originally acted out by a man named Big John, and then Rhys Ifans later donned a motion capture suit to help transfer his likeness to an actual CGI version of the Lizard.

“In the comics there are different incarnations of the Lizard. There’s the MacFarlane one, which has the snout, but I was interested more in finding something that could relate human emotions,” Webb said. “So Rhys’s performance is giving that nuance, getting the eyebrow tics and the looks. Creating an armature that can actually speak and lips that make sounds. It’s a very detailed and, frankly, tedious process. I really wanted to capture emotion.”

Webb said that he was inspired by the “Ultimate” and from old “Amazing Spider-Man” comic book story arcs when creating his “The Amazing Spider-Man” movie. The current running time clocks in at about two hours. “The Amazing Spider-Man” is due out on July 3.

What do you think of these latest “Amazing Spider-Man” developments? Tell us in the comments section below or on Facebook and Twitter.

The Best Of The Last

The end is near. In mere days Portlandia wraps up its final season, and oh what a season it’s been. Lucky for you, you can watch the entire season right now right here and on the IFC app, including this free episode courtesy of Subaru.

But now, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the new classics Fred and Carrie have so thoughtfully bestowed upon us. (We’ll be looking back through tear-blurred eyes, but you do you.)

Couples Dinner

It’s not that being single sucks, it’s that you suck if you’re single.

Cancel it!

A sketch for anyone who has cancelled more appointments than they’ve kept. Which is everyone.

Forgotten America

This one’s a “Serial” killer…everything both right and wrong about true crime podcasts.

Wedding Planners

The only bad wedding is a boring wedding.

Disaster Hut

It’s only the end of the world if your doomsday kit doesn’t include rosé.

Your Portlandia Personality Test

Carrie and Fred understand that although we have so much in common, we’re each so beautifully unique and different. To help us navigate those differences, Portlandia has found an easy and honest way to embrace our special selves in the form of a progressive new traffic system: a specific lane for every kind of driver. It’s all in honor of the show’s 8th and final season, and it’s all presented by Subaru.

Ready to find out who you really are? Match your personality to a lane and hop on the expressway to self-understanding.

Lane 10: Trucks Piled With Junk

Your junk is falling out of your trunk. Shake a tail light, people — this lane is for you.

Lane 33: Twins

You’re like a Gemini, but waaaay more pedestrian. Maybe you and a friend just wear the same outfits a lot. Who cares, it’s just twinning enough to make you feel special.

Lane 27: Broken Windows

Bad luck follows you around and everyone knows it. Your proverbial seat is always damp from proverbial rain. Is this the universe telling you to swallow your pride? Yes.

Lane 69: Filthy Cars

You’re all about convenience. Getting your car washed while you drive is a no-brainer.

Lane 43: Newly Divorced Singles

It’s been a while since you’ve driven alone, and you don’t know the rules of the road anymore. What’s too fast? What’s too slow? Are you sending the right signals? Don’t worry, the breakdown lane is nearby if you need it.

Still can’t find a lane to match your personality? Check out all the videos here. And see the final season of Portlandia this spring on IFC.

Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide

It’s the final countdown to Christmas and thanks to IFC’s movie marathon all Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, you can revel in classic ’80s films AND find inspiration for your last-minute gifts. Here are our recommendations, if you need a head start:

Musical Instrument

Great analog entertainment substitute when you refuse to give your kid the Nintendo Switch they’ve been drooling over.

Breakfast In Bed

Any significant other or child would appreciate these Uncle Buck-approved flapjacks. Just make sure you’re not stuck on clean up duty.

Cocktail Supplies

You’ll need them to get through the holidays.

Dance Lessons

So you can learn to shake-shake-shake (unless you know ghosts willing to lend a hand).

Comfy Clothes

With all the holiday meals, there may be some…embigenning.

Get even more great inspiration all Christmas Eve and Day on IFC, and remember…